Warp-knitting machine

ABSTRACT

A warp-knitting machine for furnishing a base material with a knitted fabric on both sides thereof in which the base material is supported at one side thereof, a plurality of needles adapted to penetrate reciprocably between selected threads in the base material, the base material on at least one side thereof is supported by additional threads disposed in close proximity to an upper portion of the base material above the penetration of the needles, the additional threads provide a support for the base material by remaining in close proximity thereto under a predetermined tension.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Manfred Erich Jaskulski Kandler;Gerd Heinz Ruger, Karl-Marx-Stadt; Wolfgang Kurt Wunsch,Karl-Marx-Stadt, all of, Germany [2]] Appl. No. 828,439 [22] Filed May22, 1969 [45] Patented Sept. 7, 1971 [73] Assignee VebNahwirkmaschinenbau Malimo Karl- Marx-Stadt Karl-Marx-Stadt, GermanyContinuation of application Ser. No. 781,668, Oct. 9, 1968, nowabandoned Continuation 01 application Ser. No. 534,868, Mar. 16, 1966,now abandoned.

[54] WARP-KNITTING MACHINE 12 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 66/85 [51 Int. Cl D041) 23/06 {50] Field of Search 66/83-87,190-195; 242/137 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 25,7493/1965 Mauersberger 66/84 2,022,448 1 1/1935 Wirth 66/86 2,429,23110/1947 Lambach. 66/86 2,469,360 5/1949 Amidon... 66/86 2,680,959 6/1954Walford 66/86 2,690,066 9/1954 Schoenster 66/86 2,820,356 1/1958 Meinerset a1. 66/86 OTHER REFERENCES K. W. Bahlo, New Fabric Without Weaving, apaper presented on Sept. 8, 1965, Meeting of the Amer. Ass. for TextileTech Inc. in NYC, NY (Pub. in Modern Textiler Magazine, pages 5 l to 55Porcelain Enameled Iron & Glass for Textile Machinery 1911, Catalogue ofMitchell-Bessel] Co. Fleming Press, NYC, NY, page 71 (copy in grp. 352)Primary ExaminerRonald Feldbaum Attorney-Nolte and Nolte ABSTRACT: Awarp-knitting machine for furnishing a base material with a knittedfabric on both sides thereof in which the base material is supported atone side thereof, a plurality of needles adapted to penetratereciprocably between selected threads in the base material, the basematerial on at least one side thereof is supported by additional threadsdisposed in close proximity to an upper portion of the base materialabove the penetration of the needles, the additional threads provide asupport for the base material by remaining in close proximity theretounder a predetermined tension.

PATENTED SEP 7 I9 INVENTORS MANFRED E.JASKULSKI GERD H. RUGER W0 LFGAN GK.WUNSCH WARP-KNITTING MACHINE v This application is a continuation ofUS. Pat. application Ser. No. 781,668 filed Oct. 10, 1968 now abandoned,which is a continuation of [1.8. Pat. application Ser. No. 534,868 filedMar. 16, 1966 now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to a warp-knitting machine, and itrelates more particularly to a knitting machine for making of a textilematerial in which a warp knitting encloses a base material and in whichloose warp threads are tied to the front of the base material by sinkermeshes formed on the warp knitting.

In order to provide a high quality textile material of such complexstructure, it is necessary that the base material, which might be of anyknown type textile, from heavy to very thin or even tricot-typematerial, should receive adequate support on both of its surfaces whenpassed through the machine for working additional textile patternthereto. The. need for adequate support is most pronounced in the stitchor meshforming location of the machine where a loose warp thread issecured to the base material by a mesh pattern. It is also importantthat the loose warp threads being secured to the base material be fed tothe mesh-forming location at adequate tension and in a manner whichpermits constant supervision of the mesh-forming location.

In the known warp-knitting and knitting machines, the rear supporting orlocking means for the base material consists of an upwardly directedstripping comb, and the front supporting or locking means consists of adownwardly directed needle comb and a supporting bar. The stripping combextends upwardly above the mesh-forming location, while the needle combextends below it. The upper edge of the supporting bar is disposed belowthe mesh-fonning location, but above the free ends of the comb needles.Since the supporting bar is disposed in front of the needle comb, theneedle comb may engage the supporting bar during the forward movement ofthe warp needles. The thread guides for the loose warp threads areusually mounted at the bar of the needle comb, and serve the exclusivepurpose of guiding the loose warp threads in a spaced manner to themesh-forming location. The thread row formed by the loose warp threadsruns freely and spaced from the front of the base material and is led tothe mesh-forming location at an acute angle.

The disadvantage in these machines is that such disposition of theneedle comb covers the mesh-forming location and prevents supervision ofthe mesh forming. This frequently leads to interruptions in theoperating process. Also, the loose warp threads easily become entangledin the pointed ends of the needle comb. Another shortcoming of the knownmachines is that the warp threads which form the warp-knitted fabric,upon completion of a cycle and upon the subsequent retraction of thewarp needles will come to rest on the needles of the needle comb. Thesinker meshes of the warp-knitted fabric become free from the needlecomb only below the mesh-forming location, so that a certain dimensionalexpansion and looseness of the sinker meshes of the warp-knitted fabrictakes place. Therefore, it becomes impossible in known machines tosecurely tie the loose warp threads onto the front face of the basematerial.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide animproved knitting machine which is free from the abovementionedshortcomings.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a knitting machine inwhich the needle comb in front of the base material, or any otherindividual locking means over the front face of the base material abovethe mesh-forming location, omits everything which would obstructoperation of the machine.

The warp knitting machine, particularly a knitting machine in accordancewith the invention, is provided with improved locking or enclosingsupporting means for the base material on the reverse side as well as onthe front side of the base material.

The knitting machine in accordance with the invention provides alsoimproved guide means for the loose warp threads, such guide means beingsuitably correlated with the lockingsupporting arrangement of themachine to improve support of the base material and of the loose warpthreads being worked into the base material.

The invention provides that the loose warp threads which are disposeddirectly above the mesh-forming location form locking-supporting meansfor the base material. Thus the need for additional special lockingmeans is avoided in that particular location, namely above themesh-forming location over the front fact of the base material. Toattain this locking effect, the loose warp threads are tensioned and areguided by means of their associated thread guides parallel to the frontface of the base material and/or are in close proximity thereto.

By omitting, for instance, the needle comb, not only the warp-knittingmachine, particularly the knitting machine is improved, but at the sametime the quality of the textile fabric processed thereon is increased inview of the fact that interference of the fiber meshes with mechanicalparts, such as a needle comb, is eliminated after their formation.

For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantagesand the specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had tothe exemplary accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a knitting machine showing themesh-forming portion thereof partly in section, with the textilematerial therein, in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a front view of the mesh-forming portion shown in FIG. 1.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the knitting machine is provided with aplurality of reciprocating warp needles 1, which are sliding latchneedles in the illustrated embodiment. The drive mechanism performingthe reciprocation is not shown, and may be any well known drivemechanism. Needles l are fed with warp threads 2 which are guided infeed guides 3 for forming the warp knitted fabric. The knitting machinealso comprises an upwardly extending stripping comb generally indicated4 including associated sinkers 4a. In the front of the stripping comb 4and spaced therefrom is a support bar 5. Sinkers 4a of the strippingcomb 4 extend upwardly with respect to the stitch-forming portion andthe warp needles I extend through and beyond the sinkers 4a of strippingcomb 4. The upper edge of support bar 5 is disposed below thestitch-forming portion. The base material 6 is fed from above throughthe stitch-forming location, between the stripping comb 4, sinkers 4aand support bar 5. The base material 6 may have any shape.

In the particular embodiment shown, base material 6 consists oftransverse threads which are connected with each other by the knittedfabric being formed by warp threads 2. Base material 6 may also be of afibrous fleece, or the like. The warp-knitted fabric which encloses basematerial 6 is advantageously a tricot material. For making the tricotmaterial, the feed guide 3 feeds alternately warp threads 2 over twoadjacent needles 1 which form knitted stitches 7 of the warpknittedfabric on the rear face of base material 6 and sinker meshes 8 on thefront face thereof. Thus base material 6 is disposed between knittedstitches 7 and sinker meshes 8 of the warp-knitted material (FIG. 2).Sinker meshes 8 extend above two adjacent warp loops and serve to tieloose warp threads 9 to the front face of the base material 6. Forguiding loose warp threads 9, thread guides 10 are provided and aredisposed on a support 11. Support 11 is arranged above thestitch-forming location in front of base material 6. During the rearwardmovement of needles 1, base material 6 is supported by the strippingcomb 4, comprising sinkers 4a, while during the forward movement of theneedles I, the base material is supported by the supporting bar 5. Inthat way the stripping comb 4 and the supporting bar 5 form a lockingmeans for the base material 6.

It is necessary to support the front face of base material 6 also abovethe mesh-forming location during the forward movement of needles 1. Inaccordance with the invention, this is achieved by the thread portionsof loose warp threads 9 which are directly disposed above the meshforming location. Warp threads 9 are tightened and are guided parallelto base material 6 or at least closely adjacent to it by means of thesuitably arranged and shaped thread guide 10. The corresponding threadportions may also be guided in close proximity to base material 6 bythread guides 10. Thread guides 10, which are preferably made from wire,are directed downwardly and have formed on the front ends thereofnearest to the needles 1 upwardly directed hooks 12 which extendlaterally with respect to the axis of guides (FIG. 2).

The loose warp threads 9 are deflected out of the plane of thread guides10, as seen in FIG. 2, and are simultaneously tightened by means of thehooks 12, so that they form a front locking means for the base material6 above the stitch-forming location. Since the loose warp threads 9 aretaken off from a decelerated warp-supporting member, they are alreadytightened to a certain extent, which tightness is further increased byhooks 12 of thread guides 10 wherein the hooks deflect warp threads 9 inthe form of a rearwardly extending knee. The tightening of loose warpthreads 9 may be improved by simultaneously displacing them obliquelyand laterally, as shown in FIG. 2, before they are moved toward thefront face of base material 6. For this purpose, thread guides 10 areprovide with eyes 13 arranged on the end disposed away from thestitch-forming location. The drawing of loose warp threads 9 is done inthe following manner. Each warp thread 9 which is guided to an eye 13 ofa certain thread guide 10, is further guided to the stitch-forminglocation over the hook 12 of another thread guide 10 which anotherthread guide is spaced by a predetermined number of courses away fromthe thread guide through the eye 13 of which warp thread 9 enters thestitch-forming location. In the illustrated embodiment, particularly inFIG. 2 thereof, it is seen that such spacing amounts to three coursesand the thread guides defining the spacing are identified additionallyby A and B. Shafts 14 of thread guides 10 have a fastening portion 15held in support 11 between hooks l2 and eyes 13 and formed substantiallyat a right angle.

Usually the thread portions 16 of the loose warp threads 9 which are fedin close proximity to the front face of base material 6 above thestitch-forming location, are sufficient for supportingly enclosing thefront face. For this purpose, hooks 12 are advantageously arranged asclose as possible to warp needles 1. The mentioned thread portion 16 ofloose warp threads 9 are sufficiently tight, particularly if they areguided as shown in FIG. 2, since the two deflections at 12 and 13 in theloose warp threads 9 impart an additional braking effect, consequently,additional tightness, to thread 9. The base material 6 is also supportedby shafts 14 of thread guides 10. For this purpose, shafts 14 arearranged in close proximity and substantially parallel to the basematerial 6 as seen in FIG. 1.

The above description discloses a preferred embodiment of my invention.My invention is by no means to be limited to the embodiments shown anddescribed, but the invention should be defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a warp-knitting machine for manufacturing a textile fabricincluding a base material, a knitted material covering at least one sideof the base material and warp threads attached to the base material by aplurality of stitches disposed on one side of said base material, saidmachine comprising a stitch- I forming zone, knitting needles positionedso that their operating paths reciprocate transversely through the basematerial in the stitch-forming zone, means for guiding a thread ontoeach of the needles so that the needles form the threads which theneedles carry into stitches as the needles reciprocate in thestitch-forming zone, means for feeding a plurality of warp threads topositions between the base material and the forward extremity ofreciprocation of the needles so that the stitches which are formed bythe needles attach the warp threads to the base material, support meansdisposed on the side of the base material opposite the side to which thewarp threads are fed in the region where the base material ap proachesthe knitting zone and in the region where the textile fabric leaves theknitting zone and further support means to restrain the base materialagainst the forward movement of the knitting needles, a first of thefurther support means being disposed at the side of the base material towhich the warp threads are fed and in the region where the base materialis fed to the knitting zone and a second of the further support means ibeing disposed at the side of the base material to which the warpthreads are fed and in the region where said finished textile leaves theknitting zone, the improvement comprising tensioning means for said warpthreads, said tensioning means being positioned before the knitting zoneand at the side of the base material to which the warp threads are fedto hold the warp threads under tension in abutment with the side of thebase material as the base material approaches and passes through theknitting zone, said tensioning means thereby constituting said firstfurther support means and the knitting zone being free of support meanson the side of the base material to which the warp threads are fed.

2 A warp-knitting machine according to claim 1, in which said tensioningmeans comprises a guide for each of the warp threads.

3. A warp-knitting machine according to claim 2, in which each of saidwarp thread guides comprises an eye portion for receiving one of thewarp threads and downstream from the eye portion a hook portion forholding the warp thread in abutment with the side of the base materialin a longitudinal orientation parallel to the direction of travel of thebase material.

4. A warp-knitting machine according to claim 3, in which the eyeportion is spaced further than the hook portion from the base material.

5. A warp-knitting machine according to claim 3, in which the hookportion of each warp thread guide is positioned to receive a warp threadfrom the eye portion of an adjacent warp thread guide.

6. A warp-knitting machine according to claim 4, in which the hookportion of each warp thread guide is positioned to receive a warp threadfrom the eye portion of an adjacent warp-thread guide.

7. In a warp-knitting machine comprising at least one knitting needle,means for supporting a base material with a side of the base materialfacing the needle and transverse to the operating path of the needle,means for feeding a thread to the needle, means for reciprocating theneedle so that the needle passes through the base material and therebyknits the thread through the base material with portions of the threadextending to the other side of the base material, and means for guidingat least one warp thread to said other side of the base material in thezone of the knitting so that said warp thread is fastened to said otherside by the knitting, the improvement comprising tensioning means forthe warp thread, said tensioning means being positioned outside theknitting zone and facing said other side to hold the warp threads undertension in abutment with said other side in the knitting zone thereby tocause said warp threads to restrain the base material against theforward thrust of the needle, the knitting zone being free of means forthus restraining the base material.

8. A warp-knitting machine according to claim 7, in which saidtensioning means comprises a guide for the warp thread.

9. A warp-knitting machine according to claim 8, in which said warpthread guide comprises an eye portion for receiving a warp thread and ahook portion for receiving a warp thread from an eye portion and forholding the warp thread in abutment with said other side.

10. A warp-knitting machine according to claim 9, in which the eyeportion is spaced further than the hook portion from said other side.

l 1. A warp-knitting machine according to claim 9, in which the warpthread received by the hook portion of the guide is received from theeye portion of an adjacent like guide.

12. A warp-knitting machine according 'to claim 10, in which the warpthread received by the hook portion of the guide is received from theeye portion of an adjacent guide. 7

1. In a warp-knitting machine for manufacturing a textile fabricincluding a base material, a knitted material covering at least one sideof the base material and warp threads attached to the base material by aplurality of stitches disposed on one side of said base material, saidmachine comprising a stitch-forming zone, knitting needles positioned sothat their operating paths reciprocate transversely through the basematerial in the stitchforming zone, means for guiding a thread onto eachof the needles so that the needles form the threads which the needlescarry into stitches as the needles reciprocate in the stitch-formingzone, means for feeding a plurality of warp threads to positions betweenthe base material and the forward extremity of reciprocation of theneedles so that the stitches which are formed by the needles attach thewarp threads to the base material, support means disposed on the side ofthe base material opposite the side to which the warp threads are fed inthe region where the base material approaches the knitting zone and inthe region where the textile fabric leaves the knitting zone and furthersupport means to restrain the base material against the forward movementof the knitting needles, a first of the further support means beingdisposed at the side of the base material to which the warp threads arefed and in the region where the base material is fed to the knittingzone and a second of the further support means being disposed at theside of the base material to which the warp threads are fed and in theregion where said finished textile leaves the knitting zone, theimprovement comprising tensioning means for said warp threads, saidtensioning means being positioned before the knitting zone and at theside of the base material to which the warp threads are fed to hold thewarp threads under tension in abutment with the side of the basematerial as the base material approaches and passes through the knittingzone, said tensioning means thereby constituting said first furthersupport means and the knitting zone being free of support means on theside of the base mateRial to which the warp threads are fed.
 2. Awarp-knitting machine according to claim 1, in which said tensioningmeans comprises a guide for each of the warp threads.
 3. A warp-knittingmachine according to claim 2, in which each of said warp thread guidescomprises an eye portion for receiving one of the warp threads anddownstream from the eye portion a hook portion for holding the warpthread in abutment with the side of the base material in a longitudinalorientation parallel to the direction of travel of the base material. 4.A warp-knitting machine according to claim 3, in which the eye portionis spaced further than the hook portion from the base material.
 5. Awarp-knitting machine according to claim 3, in which the hook portion ofeach warp thread guide is positioned to receive a warp thread from theeye portion of an adjacent warp thread guide.
 6. A warp-knitting machineaccording to claim 4, in which the hook portion of each warp threadguide is positioned to receive a warp thread from the eye portion of anadjacent warp-thread guide.
 7. In a warp-knitting machine comprising atleast one knitting needle, means for supporting a base material with aside of the base material facing the needle and transverse to theoperating path of the needle, means for feeding a thread to the needle,means for reciprocating the needle so that the needle passes through thebase material and thereby knits the thread through the base materialwith portions of the thread extending to the other side of the basematerial, and means for guiding at least one warp thread to said otherside of the base material in the zone of the knitting so that said warpthread is fastened to said other side by the knitting, the improvementcomprising tensioning means for the warp thread, said tensioning meansbeing positioned outside the knitting zone and facing said other side tohold the warp threads under tension in abutment with said other side inthe knitting zone thereby to cause said warp threads to restrain thebase material against the forward thrust of the needle, the knittingzone being free of means for thus restraining the base material.
 8. Awarp-knitting machine according to claim 7, in which said tensioningmeans comprises a guide for the warp thread.
 9. A warp-knitting machineaccording to claim 8, in which said warp thread guide comprises an eyeportion for receiving a warp thread and a hook portion for receiving awarp thread from an eye portion and for holding the warp thread inabutment with said other side.
 10. A warp-knitting machine according toclaim 9, in which the eye portion is spaced further than the hookportion from said other side.
 11. A warp-knitting machine according toclaim 9, in which the warp thread received by the hook portion of theguide is received from the eye portion of an adjacent like guide.
 12. Awarp-knitting machine according to claim 10, in which the warp threadreceived by the hook portion of the guide is received from the eyeportion of an adjacent guide.